This book majorly bored me; it did not pick up until it was 3/4 of the way finished. When it did pick up, nothing truly stood out to me either. I was not a big fan of the author's writing style. Sometimes if a thriller is lacking in plot, the writing can reel me in, but this was not the case. All of the characters were annoying and insufferable (I think that was the point, but it did not make it any more enjoyable). Everything was so outlandish and unrealistic from the beginning to the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Kaira Rouda for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The reviews are great on this and it was just ok for me. Some of the characters were unlikable to me but it was still an ok book.

We Were Never Friends is a fast-paced, drama-filled ride that pulls you into the tangled history of a group of women who once shared everything and now share nothing but secrets. The setting is glamorous and sunny, yet there is an undercurrent of tension that makes it impossible to put down.

I loved how Kaira Rouda gave each character a distinct voice and personality. The shifting perspectives kept me guessing about who to trust and what really happened in their shared past. The mix of old grudges, hidden agendas, and long-buried resentment created the perfect storm for a compulsive read.

There were moments where the pace felt almost too quick and I wanted a little more time to sit with certain emotional beats. Some characters could have been developed further to give the final twists even more impact. Still, the drama, suspense, and sheer entertainment value kept me hooked from start to finish.

If you enjoy reading about complicated friendships, betrayal, and secrets coming to light, this is a perfect weekend read.

I enjoyed this book overall. Some things were pretty far-fetched though. Almost all of the characters did terrible things and really didn’t have any redeeming qualities. There really wasn’t a conclusion at the end so I assume there will be another book.

So good. Such a great read. Five stars hands down. I could not put it down all night long. Loved the characters so much.

We Were Never Friends is about the reunion of 4 sorority sisters at the engagement weekend of ones son to another's daughter. Over the course of the weekend, many secrets are revealed.

i enjoyed the book despite the many flaws. Character development was weak. It was hard to root for any one character. I didn't really guess any of the twists or see them coming. But, they also weren't that thrilling, either.

I found the book to be enjoyable and a quick read. As for being a thriller, I would say it's more like a lifetime movie when you are expecting to see Friday the 13th.

4,5 Stars for We Were Never Friends by new to me author Kaira Rouda, published by PPPress.
Fast paced, soap opera-ish with nearly all the tropes, this is an highly entertaining read.
Sorority sisters re-unite.

I wanted to love this book more. The premise had drawn me in however, as I dove into the story, it became more and more over the top. Each character played a part in the deceased Sunny's murder which you find out along the way. It didn't seem realistic when I felt it could have been. What I appreciated is the detailed description of each character. I was able to picture the type of person each character was as the book describes them. The ending of the book was a little disappointing. I felt that it was more of a "live happily ever after" type ending without any further explanation/background of Zach-his controlling tendencies and repeated use of "we're meant to be together" after Celeste, Zach's fiance questions him about his family at the very end of the story. It felt like a rushed ending. Overall this book was a decent read. I do not feel like it was a waste of reading time and if you are looking for a quick read that's a murder mystery on the quirky side, this book is for you.

**This was an ebook provided by NetGalley**
Many thanks for approving this book for me to read!

Thank you for the opportunity to read it as an arc.

A gripping and emotional read with layered characters and a twisty storyline. I was pulled in by the tension and the messy, complicated friendships. Some parts dragged a little, but overall it kept me turning the pages. A solid, dramatic story that stayed with me after I finished.

What a great novel. Thank you for the opportunity to read it as an arc. I loved the plot twists and the story lines. The characters were engaging and there was so much going on, it kept me interested and became a very quick read! Thank you

I really enjoyed this book! It was a fast-paced read packed with twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. I especially loved the use of multiple points of view—it added depth to the story and kept things interesting throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this arc!

College reunion filled for an engagement party goes south and many confessions are revealed. Some mystery, some suspense - weird ending (because the character is weird), but overall great story.

This wasn’t quite for me. It was a popcorn thriller with quite a few twists and turns throughout to keep the reader hooked, and lots of different points of view from different characters which all have different agendas, but I found (and I find this with some shorter books), because it was short, the author relied on the dialogue to explain things that they would otherwise struggle to explain, and it made the interactions sound awkwardly written and forced.

I can honestly say that my life in my sorority didn't have anything happening like what was going on at the TGM house!! Oh my - its screaming for a sequel because there are too many loose ends!!

I am not sure what to think of this book.
I liked the premises but quite early in the story the characters and the situation itself did not make much sense.
It was quite slow and very repetitive and I almost DNF it. The second half was more eventful but I would not recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda!

I’ve always enjoyed Kaira Rouda’s books, and this one was no exception—it absolutely delivered. At just under 300 pages, it’s the perfect length for a fast, engaging read. Around the 60% mark, the story took a twist I never saw coming, and from there it was impossible to put down!

Very fast paced although it lacked a lot of depth.

I read it in one sitting, it kept my attention for the most part, plot twists were good, the ending did feel a little predictable. Not a bad read at all. 3/5 ⭐️

My 2025 Reading 📚 ARC

59) We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda

Publication Date: February 3, 2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for this ARC

A quick read with a fun setup, but ultimately too repetitive and surface-level for my taste. The early chapters dragged, and the characters felt more like caricatures than real people. I stuck with it out of curiosity, and while the ending picked up a bit, it wasn’t quite enough to make up for the lack of depth. Still, I could see this working as a limited Netflix series thanks to its somewhat quirky and drama-heavy plot with snappy dialogue.

Summary: A group of former sorority sisters reunites for a weekend at a luxurious Palm Springs estate, but old rivalries and buried secrets quickly resurface. As tensions rise and past tragedies are revealed, the celebration turns dangerous.

Diabolical! You definitely want to be friendless rather than having some of these women as friends! This was an interesting and surprising book. A fast read because I didn't want to stop. Highly recommended!

I would like to thank Netgalley & Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this gem!

This book is juicy!! Like a soap opera but better organized & not as outlandish

Imagine your daughter falling for your rival fellow sorority sisters son?! 🫢

So of course our new love birds bring people back together, who probably would have been content with never seeing one another again.

And you just know what's coming next that we all love! You know those secrets that were meant to stay buried are going to start ascending

Cheating, competing, & killing!? How can you not love this!?

It's pretty safe to say this was a "hell yess" from me

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